KIGEZI- President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni spent 3 days in Kigezi Sub Region from February 12th to 14th assessing the implementation of the Parish Development Model and visiting successful beneficiaries and listening to their challenges from which he is expected to make an informed decision to improve the program. He later interacted with the journalists at Irenga Country Home in Ntungamo District.
Under the Kigezi Sub-region 6 Kisoro, Rubanda, Kabale, Rukiga, Rukungiri and Kanungu districts and 3 Municipalities of Kabale Municipality, Kisoro and Rukungiri Municipality are clustered under one entity.
The Parish Development Model program in Kigezi Sub Region is taking shape among the beneficiaries who underwent proper preparation and orientation and although there initially challenges in the establishment phase due to miscommunication leaders and inappropriate data collection, the program which is now in its third year had since stabilized after harmonization of different stakeholders involved in the implementation.Â
According to the Head Parish Development Model program Kigezi Sub-region Secretariat Robert Ssendegeya, a total of Ugx 88.8 billion has been released for disbursement through 428 Parish Development Model SACCOs across the 6 Districts and 3 Municipalities of which Ugx 87.5 billion has been absorbed into the communities which account for about 98.5% of the disbursement rate which showcase efficient funds release.
Nonetheless, Rukungiri and Kisoro Districts and the Municipalities of Kisoro, Kabale and Rukungiri have exceeded their disbursement rates beyond 100% and have used the interest accruing from the banks and voluntary early payment of the funds from the beneficiaries to give to new members.
Kanungu district has so far received the highest cumulative capitalisation of Parish Development Model program funds amounting to Ugx 20.2 billion as of February 8th 2025, followed by Rukungiri District who have cumulatively got 15.6 billion, Rubanda District has 14.2 billion Kabale District has got Ugx 13.8 billion, Kisoro District has Ugx 12 billion and Rukiga District has cumulated Ugx 6.2 billion.
On the other hand, Kabale Municipality had cumulatively received Ugx 2.53 billion, Rukungiri Municipality has Ugx 2.51 billion and Kisoro Municipality has cumulated 1.4 billion.
Whereas participating commercial banks have been deducting Ugx 4,000 from each beneficiary, President Museveni has since directed that no single coin should be deducted forthwith and a beneficiary must receive Ugx 1 million as indicated in the guidelines, so that activities are ongoing to ensure full utilisation of the Parish Revolving Fund (PRF) in profitable enterprises.
A total number of 88,427 beneficiaries have benefited from the Parish Development Model in all the 6 Districts and 3 Municipalities with Kanungu District having the highest number at 19,781 followed by Rukungiri with 16,072, Rubanda has 13,967, Kabale has 13,676 and Kisoro District has 12,173 and Rukiga District has the lowest at 6,188 beneficiaries.
Kabale Municipality has 2,532 beneficiaries, followed by Rukungiri Municipality which has 2,539 beneficiaries and Kisoro Districts has only 1,499 beneficiaries as at February 8th 2025.
The distribution highlight females dominating a relatively high number of beneficiaries than males at 58% compared to 42% of males which reflect a gender inclusivity in the Parish Development Model program and this ensures that both men and women are benefiting from the program and this also reflect that women are more involved in commercialisation of agriculturature which dominates the enterprises being undertaken.
The Parish Development Model program in Kigezi Sub Region has also empowered over 88,000 households by creating direct employment opportunities and tripling the number for the indirect employment opportunities.
Livestock enterprises remains the most adored activity by the beneficiaries at 20% and this is dominated by goat rearing, piggery and diary cows, while poultry is at 7%, coffee growing accounts for 12% and fruit farming stands at 2%.
It was from this background that President Museveni condemned some leaders who are bent on creating politics of identity by playing sectarian religious sentiments in their communities yet a program like Parish Development Model is designed to benefit all Ugandans.
President Museveni who met political leaders from Kigezi Sub Region at Rukungiri Municipality Playgrounds in Rukungiri District on February 13th 2025 categorically made it clear that politics of identity have no room in Uganda.
The President who was accompanied by his Wife Maama Janet Kataha Museveni advised the leaders to preach to their communities on how to create Wealth using their small pieces of land as guided by the PDM guidelines because experience has shown that those who tried it have succeeded and their livelihoods and incomes have changed.
“I have been reliably informed that there are some people playing politics based on religion, that’s nonsense and I implore whoever is involved must stop or else will be delt with” a visibly irritated Museveni said.
The meeting was attended by the Vice President Major Jessica Alupo Epel who is the National Chairperson of the Presidential Tours to assess the implementation Parish Development Model, cabinet ministers, Members of Parliament hailing from Kigezi District Council and Sub County Leaders and religious leaders.
The President assured the people of Kigezi Sub-region that Parish Development Model has already showed good results and it has awakened the people who have been asleep and therefore the government will ensure that there are funds to maintain it.
He thanked the people who welcomed the Parish Development Model program and are implementing it in their homes to uplift their household incomes and added that all these developments need infrastructural developments like water sources close to the people’s homes because all the structured enterprises being taken up like goat, chicken, pig, Zero grazing and fishing need water on top of the agriculture which needs irrigation.
He also assured the members that his duty is to ensure that there is peace in the country that will enhance the construction of roads, extension of gravity water to hilly areas, education and health.
President Museveni asked the people near wetlands to voluntarily vacate them without necessarily waiting for compensation but can establish ecosystem like fish farming which have higher returns than rowing crops like rice.
The President Museveni also assured that he is committed to improving road connectivity in the region by working on key roads, including Kanyantorongo and Bwindi to Kisoro District to boost trade and tourism.
While in Kanungu District President Museveni visited a Parish Development Model beneficiary, Kenneth Ayesiga in Nyamirama Town Council who has utilised the Ugx 1 million he received from the government to expand his restaurant business and also started a piggery and Zero grazing projects thereby creating jobs for the community and gifted him with Ugx 10 million.
In Rubanda District, the President visited a Poultry farmer Ms Akampurira Evas who has used her Ugx 1 million Parish Development Model funds to start a poultry farm which has accumulated to over Ugx 20 million in 2 years and in Kisoro President Museveni visited the family of Habumugisha who used his Parish Development Model money to rear 2 Zero grazing cows which are producing milk to earn income for the family and leaving more for sale.
President Museveni said, after visiting the two farmers that he was impressed that the Parish Development Model program in Kigezi has positively taken shape and the two farmers are evidence that the rest can also copy and change their lives and stop producing for consumption but produce with calculations to improve on their wellbeing.
He said that he was happy that Parish Development Model has been embraced by the majority Ugandans and called upon the leaders in the government to do more sensitization about the program and encourage the people to get out of poverty.
“I’m happy people are beginning to wake up and see the light and this mass production of chicken, eggs, goats, pigs, and fish will necessitate more Development like extension of water to households, and value addition to items like eggs and sausages to attract international markets.
The President however noted that nutrition is very important and government will look into how it can be incorporated into the Parish Development Model programs across the country and said that PDM program has taken off and will in the near future when more money is got have the amount being given in each Parish increased.
